San Juan, Puerto Rico- A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 1,456,552 visitors to San Juan National Historic Site in 2016 spent 85,162.5 million in communities near the parks. That spending supported 1,065 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of 104.363 million.
We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. National Park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning more than $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities. The “San Juan National Historic Site welcomes visitors from across the world. We are very proud of doing our part by having the park open 362 days of the year to all visitors which enjoy the fortifications and browse the town looking for shops and restaurants supporting the local economy", said Superintendent Randy Lavasseur.
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $18.4 billion of direct spending by 331 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a National Park. This spending supported 318,000 jobs nationally; 271,544 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $ 34.9 billion.
According to the 2016 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.2 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.2 percent), gas and oil (11.7 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (9.7 percent), local transportation (7.4 percent), and camping fees (2.5%).
“The San Juan National Historic Site values every visitor that walks into this historic marvel, your park has some of the most significant cultural experiences that will take you back in time. We are honored to be in the forefront of maintaining and protecting your cultural heritage for future generations," added Superintendent Lavasseur.
Report authors this year produced an interactive tool. Users can explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: go.nps.gov/vse. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.
For additional information, you may call (787)729-6777 or visit www.nps.gov/saju & https://facebook.com/SanJuanNPS/
San Juan National Historic Site is comprised of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal, Fort San Juan de La Cruz (El Cañuelo), San Juan Gate, and most of the City Wall. The site is open every day from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission to San Juan NHS and its fortifications is $5 for visitors 16 years or more and free for those 15 and under with an adult.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
